Apparatus for making extruded articles of metal or other material.



G, MLLEN. APPARATUS POR MAKING EXTRUDED ARTICLES 0F METAL 0R OTHER MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.10l 1912.

LQQBYQ I PatentedlApr.14,l914. l I laf/y GRENVILLE llIJIIELLEN,I 0F EAST ORANGE, NEW

UNITED ALUMINUM INGOT COMPANY,

JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR MAKING' EXTRUDED lARTICLES 0F METAL OROTHER MATERIAL.

Longest, l

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patenten npr.. in, Tara.

Original application led A pril 20, 1912, Serial No. 692,151. Divided and this application filed October 10,1912. Serial No. 725,060.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that AI, GRENVILLE Mattan, a citizen 'of the United States,.residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Extruded'Articles of Metal or other Material, of -which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for producing articles, such as plates, rods, angle bars, tubes, wire, and similar products, which maybe made from molten metal .or other fluid or plastic material, contained in a receptacle and extruded through a die,

the metal or other material congealing with--y in the passage constituting the die, and be# ing continuously removed therefrom; additional'metal or plastic material being added to the receptacle from time to time, to permit the formation of articles of great length when desired.l

This application is a division `of my a pl-ication Serial Numberv 692,151, filed April 20, 1912.

The annexed drawingillustrates lan apparatus for carrying out myinvention, 1n which Figure 1 illustrates, partly in section, the Crucible mounted in the furnace body, with the die' and rolls; Fig. 2 illustrates a view at right angles to Fig. 1, partly in section, showlng the Crucible and feeding deviceattachedto the cap; Fig. 3 illustrates a watercooled die; and Fig. 4 illust-rates a pair of finishing rolls.

In the illustrations, a Crucible 11 made of a metal that will sustain a sufficiently high ,pressure whenf heated suliciently 'to keep molten the metal or alloy used i'n forming thev extruded products, is removably placedA within a furnace 29, the lower end of this Crucible projecting through the bottom of the furnace, as shown. The Crucible-should be made from such metal as high-speed tool steels, such as the tungsten steels, which are especially adapted to this use; although other metals or alloyshaving the property i l"of sustaining high pressures when at, or

above, a` red heat, are also 4applicable. At

vthe top of the Crucible is a collar 13 having vtrunnions 14 on either side; mounted on the trunnions is a brace 15 having a threaded may be hole 16 inthe upper part; coperating with the brace 1s a pressure-screw 17 attached to a, handle 18, and which can be turned to exert. pressure against a removable cap-19 coverlng the opening to the Crucible 11. As shown in Fig. 1, the 4cap 19 may be retained 1n place on the Crucible 11 by suitable guldes 37 which engage a lug 38 on the collar The cap 19 is provided with an openlng 20 at which is attached an automatlc ceding device 12 to supply a material, such as water, oil, etc., adapted to expand and exert pressure against the surface ofthe molten metal, forcing it through a die at the base of the crucible.

The automatic feeding device preferably used is the subject-matter of my application Serial Number 692,150, filed April 20, 1912,

' is inserted a removable die 22, the bore 23 of which is ofthe shape to produce Vthe metal article desired. Surrounding theV die is a water-jacket 2&1 provided with openings for the entrance and exit of water, and also provided with means to'carry off steamA should its formation endanger the safety of the die. Adjacent the'orifice of the die .are finishing rolls 26 which join each other tightly and serve to Compress the extruded metal into a-dense body, without leaving a web of metal on the sides 4of the wire or rod. The lower part of the Crucible is surrounded by a supporting ring 27 which rests upon avsuitable base-plate 28. Surrounding the Crucible is a suitable furnace 29, having'a flame' passage 30, which is closed by a door 31, through which may project. any suitable oil or gas burner; or the flame passage may be connected to a coal burning fire-box, and heated with coal. The furnace is" lined with suitable refractory fire-brick 32. Above the support-ing ring 27 is a row of fire-brick 33 which can be removed to permit the removal of the Crucible 11 When desired. i

At 34 is an,outlet for the products of combustion. The exposed parts of the Crucible are suitably covered with asbestos or the like 40 to prevent hea-t losses. I

The water-cooled die, shown in Fig. 3, is preferably made with the Water-jacket elliptical, having the die at the lowerl fbcus, and water entrance and exit pipes 35 op'- positethe horizontal axis of the die. This arrangement gives a large Water space above the die to allow for the accumulation of any steam; a pipe 36 may also be provided to conduct off steam, if formed.

The rolls shown'in Fig. 4 are the usual metal-finishing rolls used in rolling rod, pipe, etc. and adjusted so that the rolls press vel/y tightly against each other, giving a finished appearance, and without leaving a web on the article roduced. o

lIhe process fr ma ing the extruded metal or material is conducted as' follows:

The furnace is heated to a temperature s uited through the feeding device. The heat of the Crucible and its contents convertsv the fiuid vinto vapor, which lls the 4space above the molten metal; and when the vapor-,pressure within the Crucible exceeds the fluidpressure, -the feeding-device automatically shuts off the fluid-supply `until the vapor pressure within the erucibleiis beiow that of the fluid, when the feeding-device automatically admits more fluid, thus formingfmore vapor; when the pressure of the latter ex'- ceeds that of theA fluid, the feeding-device automatically closes the supply until the pressure is again reduced. B this method,

the vapor-pressure within t e crucible is. maintained ractically constant. Slnce some molten meta s react with steam, forming an oxid and separating hydrogen, I may substitute for water an oil which volatlizes' without decomposition; or `I may add a readily fusible iux tothe Crucible which will cover the surface of the metal and protect it from oxidation. The oil vapor would reduce some metallic oxids, and'serve to keep the metal clean; the .layer of iux would combine with, orl absorb, any oxids on the surface of the metal andpserve to purify it.

A reducing flux, such as potassium Cyanid,

would serve both urposes with some metals. 'Ihe pressure of t e stea'm within the crucible forces the metal through the die 22 wherein it is solidified b the cooling action of the water-jacket. A t'ervleavin the die, the article produced, such as p ate, rod, angle bar, tube, wire, etc., depending upon the die used, is passed through the finishing rolls 2G, wherein it is compressed to a dense body, and the surface of the article given a finished appearance. These rolls have an opening preferably smaller than the opening in the die, and are so perfectly adjusted as not to leave any seam upon the metal showing the place ofcontact. of the rolls. The heated water from the water-jacket surrounding the die may, if desired, be used in the automatic feeding device and injected into the Crucible, thus reducing, to some extent, the quantity of heat which would be absorbed from the Crucible and its contents. After the process has been properly started, very little fuel is required to continue the ,operation In the claims, the expressions gaseous state, gaseous pressure, and gas pressure are intended to describe vaporized oil, or steam, or any other vapor, or gas, or volatilized liquid, that may be used in this process. So, also, the term molten is intended 85 t'o include the Conditions of semi-fluid, plastic, iiowing, etc., through which metals and other materials pass on heating.

In addition to giving a finished-appearance to th'e' extruded product, the rolls 2G tend to draw the rod or othershape through the die, thereby aiding the vapor pressure within the Crucible; the withdrawal of the rod, etc., leaving a space which is at once lled by the compressed molten material.

I claim:

l. An apparatus for making extruded products, comprising a chamber supported within a furnace body, a Awater-cooled die secured to the chamber, a tightly-fitting re- 103 movable Cap on the chamber, means to clamp the Cap tothe chamber, and a removable means to supply a constant-pressure-producv ing medium to the interior of the chamber.

2; An apparatus for making extruded 10.) products, comprising a chamber supported within a furnace body, means todieat the yfurnace, a cooled die attached to the lower part of the chamber, compressing means adjacent the die, a tightly-fitting cap on the 11.0 chamber, means to clamp the cap to the chamber, and a removable means attached to the cap to supply a eonstant-pressure-producing medium to the interior of the chamber. l 115 3. An 'apparatus for making extruded products, comprising a chamber supported within a furnace body, means to heat the' furnace, a cooled die attached tothe lower part lof the chamber, drawing mea-ns adja- 120 cent the die, -a tightly-fitting cap` on the Chamber, means to clamp the cap to the chamber, anda removable means attached to the cap to supply ai.constant-pressure-progucing medium to the interior of the cham- 12:5 er. Y

4. An apparatus for making extruded products, comprising a chamber supported within a furnace body, means to heat the furnace, a cooled die attached to the lower part of the chamber, compressing and draw- In testimony whereof I affix my signature ing means adjacent the dle, a tightly-fitting in presence of two witnesses. cap on the chamber, means to clamp the cap to the chamber, and a 'removable means at- GRENVILLE MELLEN. 5 taehed to the cap to supply a constant-pres Witnesses:

sure-producing medium to the interior of the JOHN O. BIGELoW,

chamber. STUART A. YOUNG. 

